COOKING

Game hens are as affordable as chicken but add elegance to your menu

Sheila O'Connor

Published: Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 5:55 p.m.

Rock Cornish game hens are delectable little birds that look like miniature chickens and compare favorably with the larger model in both flavor and nutrition. They weigh from 1 to 2 pounds, with the average being about 1 pounds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that Cornish game hens be no more than 2 pounds in ready-to-cook weight. The meat to bone ratio is small; therefore, one game hen is the perfect serving size for most people.
Game hens have approximately the same number of calories, proportionally, as chicken. They are high in protein, niacin and selenium. They're also a good source of vitamin B-6 and phosphorous. They're low in sodium and contain no sugar, but similar to a whole chicken, they have fat and cholesterol.
There is some dissention as to the creator of this chicken hybrid. Some say that in 1950, Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky, on their farm in Connecticut, originally crossbred the Cornish game cock with Plymouth Rock hens to create this small poultry. Others state that chicken mogul Donald John Tyson created the bird in 1965 by crossbreeding White Rock hens and Cornish hens. Today, both crossbreeds exist in the marketplace, although the Tyson variety accounts for of all those sold.
Despite the fact that the birds are called game hens, they are not wild nor hunted as game. They are raised in coops, like most chickens. Also, they are not all hens. The poultry may be male or female, even though the word "hen" typically denotes a female.
Game hens may be found fresh or, more often, frozen in most supermarket meat cases near other poultry selections. Choose hens that look plump. If displayed so you can see the skin, you want it to be unbroken and unblemished. Cook fresh hens within 24 hours of purchase or freeze them within that time. To freeze fresh hens, remove any giblets, wash, pat dry and wrap the hens in an airtight package. They may be stored this way for six to nine months.
Frozen game hens must have time to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking. Place them in the refrigerator the night before use and leave them there until preparation time. Do not refreeze uncooked, thawed game hens. Cooked game hens may be kept in the fridge for up to three days or frozen airtight for up to a month.
A Rock Cornish game hen, most often just called a game hen or sometimes a Cornish game hen or Cornish Rock, is as tasty and versatile as chicken. Nearly all chicken recipes may be adapted easily to the game hen by adjusting the cooking time for the smaller bird. If using stuffing, plan for one cup per hen. They're also as affordable as chicken, yet there is something about the little game hen that adds elegance to one's menu. Roasted, glazed or grilled, these petite pleasures are sure to bring a smile to most everyone's palate!Veggie-stuffed game hens
Makes four servings
These roasted hens stuffed with vegetables and herbs are delectable!4 Cornish game hens
1 cup melted butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
medium bell pepper, chopped
2 (4.5-ounce) cans mushrooms, drained and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine one cup melted butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley.
Season the hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff each hen with equal amounts of the vegetable mixture. Place the stuffed hens in a large roasting pan or 9x13-inch baking dish, breast side up. Drizzle with the remaining cup melted butter.
Cover the dish with a fitted lid or foil and bake for 1 hours. Remove the cover and brown at 500 degrees.Oven-glazed game hens
Makes four servings
These are best if marinated overnight. The golden, gooey glaze is out of this world! The hens are easy to split using kitchen shears or a sharp knife.1 cup soy sauce
cup peach, pineapple or apricot preserves
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 Cornish game hens, halved lengthwise
In very large bowl or sealable plastic bag, mix the soy sauce, preserves, ginger, garlic, wine and sugar. Place the hens in the bowl or bag and coat with the marinade. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and allow the hen halves to marinate in the refrigerator for at least eight hours or overnight. Occasionally, turn the hens in the marinade.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the hen halves in a baking dish or two. Pour any remaining marinade evenly over the hens. Bake uncovered for one hour and 15 minutes, basting frequently, or until the hens are well glazed and the juices run clear.Grilled game hens
Makes four servings
Game hens may be marinated in a variety of ways: Italian or herb vinaigrette, mojo, your favorite homemade chicken marinade or a commercial one. However, this tasty recipe seems just perfectly suited to the hens. 1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup lemon or lime juice
cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
4 game hens
In a very large bowl or sealable plastic bag, mix the onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, pepper, celery salt and salt.
Place the hens in the bowl or bag, coating them evenly with the marinade mixture. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight, turning the hens occasionally in the marinade.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat for indirect cooking and lightly oil grate. Grill the hens for about an hour, brushing occasionally with remaining marinade, until the hens are done and the juices run clear.
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E-mail Sheila O'Connor at sheocon@earthlink.net.

Rock Cornish game hens are delectable little birds that look like miniature chickens and compare favorably with the larger model in both flavor and nutrition. They weigh from 1 to 2 pounds, with the average being about 1 pounds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that Cornish game hens be no more than 2 pounds in ready-to-cook weight. The meat to bone ratio is small; therefore, one game hen is the perfect serving size for most people.<BR>
Game hens have approximately the same number of calories, proportionally, as chicken. They are high in protein, niacin and selenium. They're also a good source of vitamin B-6 and phosphorous. They're low in sodium and contain no sugar, but similar to a whole chicken, they have fat and cholesterol.<BR>
There is some dissention as to the creator of this chicken hybrid. Some say that in 1950, Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky, on their farm in Connecticut, originally crossbred the Cornish game cock with Plymouth Rock hens to create this small poultry. Others state that chicken mogul Donald John Tyson created the bird in 1965 by crossbreeding White Rock hens and Cornish hens. Today, both crossbreeds exist in the marketplace, although the Tyson variety accounts for of all those sold.<BR>
Despite the fact that the birds are called game hens, they are not wild nor hunted as game. They are raised in coops, like most chickens. Also, they are not all hens. The poultry may be male or female, even though the word "hen" typically denotes a female.<BR>
Game hens may be found fresh or, more often, frozen in most supermarket meat cases near other poultry selections. Choose hens that look plump. If displayed so you can see the skin, you want it to be unbroken and unblemished. Cook fresh hens within 24 hours of purchase or freeze them within that time. To freeze fresh hens, remove any giblets, wash, pat dry and wrap the hens in an airtight package. They may be stored this way for six to nine months.<BR>
Frozen game hens must have time to thaw in the refrigerator before cooking. Place them in the refrigerator the night before use and leave them there until preparation time. Do not refreeze uncooked, thawed game hens. Cooked game hens may be kept in the fridge for up to three days or frozen airtight for up to a month.<BR>
A Rock Cornish game hen, most often just called a game hen or sometimes a Cornish game hen or Cornish Rock, is as tasty and versatile as chicken. Nearly all chicken recipes may be adapted easily to the game hen by adjusting the cooking time for the smaller bird. If using stuffing, plan for one cup per hen. They're also as affordable as chicken, yet there is something about the little game hen that adds elegance to one's menu. Roasted, glazed or grilled, these petite pleasures are sure to bring a smile to most everyone's palate!<BR>
<b>Veggie-stuffed game hens
Makes four servings</b>
These roasted hens stuffed with vegetables and herbs are delectable!<BR>
<b>4 Cornish game hens
1 cup melted butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
medium bell pepper, chopped
2 (4.5-ounce) cans mushrooms, drained and chopped<BR>
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste</b>
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine one cup melted butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley.<BR>
Season the hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff each hen with equal amounts of the vegetable mixture. Place the stuffed hens in a large roasting pan or 9x13-inch baking dish, breast side up. Drizzle with the remaining cup melted butter.<BR>
Cover the dish with a fitted lid or foil and bake for 1 hours. Remove the cover and brown at 500 degrees.<BR>
<b>Oven-glazed game hens
Makes four servings</b>
These are best if marinated overnight. The golden, gooey glaze is out of this world! The hens are easy to split using kitchen shears or a sharp knife.<BR>
<b>1 cup soy sauce
cup peach, pineapple or apricot preserves<BR>
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 Cornish game hens, halved lengthwise
</b>
In very large bowl or sealable plastic bag, mix the soy sauce, preserves, ginger, garlic, wine and sugar. Place the hens in the bowl or bag and coat with the marinade. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and allow the hen halves to marinate in the refrigerator for at least eight hours or overnight. Occasionally, turn the hens in the marinade.<BR>
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the hen halves in a baking dish or two. Pour any remaining marinade evenly over the hens. Bake uncovered for one hour and 15 minutes, basting frequently, or until the hens are well glazed and the juices run clear.<BR>
<b>Grilled game hens
Makes four servings</b>
Game hens may be marinated in a variety of ways: Italian or herb vinaigrette, mojo, your favorite homemade chicken marinade or a commercial one. However, this tasty recipe seems just perfectly suited to the hens.<BR>
<b> 1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup lemon or lime juice
cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
4 game hens </b>
In a very large bowl or sealable plastic bag, mix the onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, pepper, celery salt and salt.<BR>
Place the hens in the bowl or bag, coating them evenly with the marinade mixture. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight, turning the hens occasionally in the marinade.<BR>
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat for indirect cooking and lightly oil grate. Grill the hens for about an hour, brushing occasionally with remaining marinade, until the hens are done and the juices run clear.<BR>
_____<i>
E-mail Sheila O'Connor at sheocon@earthlink.net.<BR></i>